Little Bites At 3 Mos Post-op?

I have been reading the thread about what people have been eating and noticed most people are eating considerably more than I. At most meals I only take 2-3 bites and then stop - I feel VERY full! My DH had surgery last Nov. and says I do this because I am drinking so much. I stop drinking at least 30 minutes prior to a meal and don't drink for close to an hour after a meal. I don't think that is the problem. My doctor wants me to get my protein from food and not protein shakes. I am finding that when I calculate the actual protein I get in a day it is less than 30 grams. UGH! I am sure I am not the only one out here like this. Those of you who post showing all you have eaten - do you really mean you drank/ate the entire item? That is so beyond my comprehension!

Hi Tam: I think everyone is so different. Also what you eat, when you eat, and how relaxed you are seems to matter. For me, If I buy one of those Carl Buddhig really thin sliced deli meat packages, 2 of those slices totally fill me up and make me uncomfortable. Give me some broiled walleye and I can eat 1.5 oz no problem. I'm still trying to visualize my portions cause I don't want to feel uncomfortable but I think I have always been able to eat more than 2 or 3 bites like some of the others on here. Maybe our doctors make our pouches different? I dunno. Maybe you should talk to your surgeon or nutritionist again. 30 grams of protein is way too low. You don't want to get malnourished, it can effect your organs. Is it possible you have a slight stricture? Let us know, judi

First thing to realize is that all surgeons make their pouches differently. They all range in size. Secondly, you do need to get more protein, I started eating protein bars when I saw I wasn't getting enough with food. Also it really depends on what I am eating....I can eat quite a bit of applesauce compared to what I can eat of tuna or denser foods. I would certainly talk with your doctor and find out if this is okay....he does need to be informed and may want to check you out to make sure everything is okay. Take care of you! Pam

Hi Tam, I think I am the piglet of our little crew here. My nutritionist and personal trainer want me to be eating somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 calories a day AT LEAST. If you're getting daily exercise, your body will start to cannibalize itself to get the nutrients you're not feeding it. Even if you're not exercising that will happen, but at a slower rate. If we never had surgery, no doctor would put any one of us on a 600 calorie a day diet...it's just not enough to survive on. And yet here we all are, eating that much or less. (I was eating that way until recently too). As soon as I stopped eating fat free everything and started getting more calories and protein in, my weight started to come off faster and my energy levels are up. It's very hard to eat enough, when our stomachs are so small, so I started adding a slice of full fat swiss cheese here and there to my diet. A single slice has 107 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of carbs and 8 grams of protein, on average (each brand has different nutritional values). So in a nutshell, yeah I do eat everything I list. I imagine my pouch has probably stretched a little. I'm not going to freak out over it though. Some days I can eat more than others, which assures me that it's still working hehe. Also, your doctor might not want you to get your protein from drinks, but to be honest, he'll probably also tell you that protein from drinks is better than not enough protein at all. Good luck hon, just do what you can and talk to your nutritionist for ideas on how to up your protein. (hugs) Donna

Tam like you i most of the time can only eat a few bites of things.....i find though if i eat upstairs by myself and i am not around anyone i seem to eat more and it doesn't bother me as much.....GO FIGURE????????? i think it is because i am concentrating on chewing instead of talking.........maybe that will help???

Crystal - I think you're right. Every time I eat in a group, I know I eat far less than I should because I'm trying not to overeat (haven't weighed the food because I'm in a restaurant or someone else's house) and I know I'm not concentrating on chewing.

Cleo and Crystal, I'm with you guys. When I eat with the family at the table I eat faster than I should. I don't concentrate on chewing and if I do then of course they ask "Mom are you allright?" Well heck no I'm not allright! I just ate really fast didn't chew like I should have and feel yucky! So now I eat some of my dinner with them and when they are done, I eat infront of the TV, read a book/magazine or eat at the computer. This slows me down and I get the full benefits of my meals. Jen

Tam - I'm sure if your doctor were asked whether you should stick to food and only get 30 g of protein or supplement to get whatever he wants you to have, he would have no problem with the supplement. Hydrate first, protein second and food comes last -- the rules of the pouch! Talk to him about your nutritional concerns. My problem is making sure I don't eat too much - no problems getting anything down the hatch! Cleo